Cooked chicken
Trader Joe's Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets
16 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- Contains added sugars
Why it scores 57
Trader Joe's Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets scores 57 out of 100 (Okay) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
- minus 3 points Salt 1 g / 100 g: High in salt. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better chicken nuggets and tenders
-
Organic Grilled Chicken Breast Strips with Rib Meat Whole Foods Market · 8 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 100 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Chicken Breast Tenderloins Trader Joe's · 40 oz Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 100 out of 100 , 43 points higher -
Uncooked Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets Foster Farms Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 96 out of 100 , 39 points higher -
Grilled Chicken Breast Strips Applegate Naturals · 84 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 93 out of 100 , 36 points higher -
Chicken Breast Fillets Just Bare · 112 g Not ultra-processed · No added sugars Score 100 out of 100 , 43 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets
Ingredients
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Modified starch minus 2.5 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 2 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 1.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Salt 1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Energy 175 kcal / 100 g minus 0.5 points
- Protein 14 g / 100 g plus 2 points
100 − 43.5 = 56.5 → 57
Can’t score above 79. Contains dextrose, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 175 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17.5 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Salt | 1 g |
Serving: 4 .oz (114 g)
Ingredients
- chicken breast meat nuggets containing up to 15% of a solution of water
- garlic powder
- seasalt (not recognized)
- corn starch
- breaded with:rice flour
- modified tapiocastarch (not recognized)
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- seasalt (not recognized)
- dextrose battered with: water (high concern)
- yellow corn flour
- modified corn starch
- modified tapiocastarch (not recognized)
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- leavening 9cream oftartar
- sodium bicarbonate)
- spices
- tanthan gum (not recognized)
- predusted with: yellow corn package s daly v flour
- modified corn starch
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- spices
- breading set 5% 185 187% nsoybean oil te 20g 7% cuntains soy (not recognized)
- 4% (not recognized)
Label text, as published
chicken breast meat nuggets containing up to 15% of a solution of water, garlic powder, seasalt, corn starch, breaded with:rice flour, modified tapiocastarch,salt, garlic powder,onion powder, seasalt, dextrose battered with: water, yellow corn flour, modified corn starch, modified tapiocastarch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, leavening 9cream oftartar, sodium bicarbonate), spices, tanthan gum, predusted with: yellow corn package s daly v flour, modified corn starch, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, spices, breading set 5% 185 187% nsoybean oil te 20g 7% cuntains soy, 4%
Allergens and diets
- Not vegan
- Not vegetarian
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More cooked chicken on GoodSwap
-
Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips Real Good Foods Inc. · 48 oz Ultra-processedContains seed oilsNo additives Score 75 out of 100 Good -
Chicken Nugget Realgood Foods Co. · 567 g Ultra-processedContains seed oilsNo additives Score 75 out of 100 Good -
Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Bites Just Bare Contains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 64 out of 100 Good -
Lightly Breaded Chicken Strips Realgood Foods Co. · 1361 g Ultra-processedContains seed oils Score 73 out of 100 Good -
Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks Kirkland Signature · 3 oz Ultra-processedHigh in saltContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 54 out of 100 Okay -
Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast 365 Whole Foods Market · 6 oz High in saltContains nitrites or nitrates Score 79 out of 100 Good
More from Trader Joe's
-
Cracked Wheat Sourdough Bread Trader Joe's · 24 oz Score 86 out of 100 Excellent -
Vanilla Almond Granola Trader Joe's · 16 oz Score 22 out of 100 Poor -
Greek Nonfat Yogurt Vanilla Flavored Trader Joe's · 16 oz Score 51 out of 100 Okay -
PB & J Snack Duo Trader Joe's · 12.7 oz Kosher Score 10 out of 100 Bad
Sources
-
Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org